4 days in the Algarve: Lagos

Lagos is a tiny city with a very beautiful historical center that has retained its unique character despite tourism. But its beaches are undoubtedly what have made Lagos one of the most visited cities in the Algarve. All the sights of the old town are within walking distance of each other, making it easy to explore the entire city of Lagos on foot in about 2 or 3 hours.Lagos es una ciudad con un centro histórico muy bonito que ha conservado su carácter único a pesar del turismo. Pero sus playas son sin duda lo que han hecho de Lagos una de las ciudades más visitadas del Algarve. Todos los lugares de interés del casco antiguo están a poca distancia unos de otros, por lo que es fácil explorar a pie toda la ciudad de Lagos en unas 2 ó 3 horas.

Is very easy to get to Lagos from Portimao. The fastest and most economical way is by train, it takes 20 minutes and costs € 2. The bus takes 40 minutes and costs € 4.35. Here you can the frequency of the bus and here the one of the trains. Without a doubt, visiting this touristy city in winter is a real delight, the weather is still good and you can enjoy its beaches for yourself.De Portimao a Lagos es muy fácil llegar. Lo más rápido y económico es el tren, tarda 20 minutos y cuesta 2€. El bus tarda 40 minutos y cuesta 4'35€. Aquí podéis ver la frecuencia del bus y aquí la de los trenes. Sin duda, visitar esta ciudad tan turística en invierno es una auténtica delicia, el tiempo sigue siendo bueno y podrás disfrutar de sus playas para ti solo.

Here some of the most important and popular buildings in Lagos worth visiting:- The Forte da Ponta da Bandeira, which once guarded the entrance to the Lagos estuary.- The interior of the church of San Antonio. The walls of this church are lined with beautiful painted tiles and some of the best wood carvings that can be found in Portugal.- The Slave Market, which was the first slave market in Europe and subsequently became the customs office.- The sixteenth-century city walls surrounding Lagos; The best preserved section of these walls is the door of San Gonzalo (Arco de Sao Gonçalo), in front of the strong Ponta da Bandeira.Entre los edificios más importantes y populares de Lagos podemos mencionar:- El Forte da Ponta da Bandeira, que una vez guardó la entrada del estuario de Lagos.- El interior de la iglesia de San Antonio. Las paredes de esta iglesia están revestidas con bellos azulejos pintados y algunas de las mejores tallas de madera que pueden encontrarse en Portugal.- El Mercado de Escravos, que fue el primer mercado de esclavos de Europa y posteriormente se convirtió en la oficina de aduanas.- Las murallas de la ciudad del siglo XVI que rodean Lagos; la sección mejor preservada de estas murallas es la puerta de San Gonzalo (Arco de Sao Gonçalo), frente al fuerte Ponta da Bandeira.

But, without doubt, its most singular place is the cape of Ponta da Piedade, a series of cliffs formed by erosion filled with caves, arches and marine caves, which are considered the best natural feature of the Algarve. An amazing landscape easily reachable by a beautiful walk along the coast of about an hour.Pero, sin duda, su lugar más singular es el cabo de Ponta da Piedade, una serie de acantilados formados por la erosión llenos de grutas, arcos y cuevas marinas, que están considerados la mejor característica natural del Algarve. Sin duda una maravilla a la que se llega bordeando la costa en un precioso paseo de una hora aproximadamente.

From the center of the village you can walk through beautiful beaches until you reach Ponta da Piedade. From the more urban beaches like Batata Beach or Praia dos Estudantes to more isolated and unique beaches such as Praia do Pinhao, Praia Dona Ana or Praia do Camilo. Enjoy Praia Dona Ana,one of the most beautiful beaches.

Along the way we will also find signs of the poor management of tourism in this area in recent decades. Similar to what we could see in Portimao. Thousands of apartments and abandoned hotels, witness of an era where there was an uncontrolled tourism. A pity.

Ok so Lagos will have to go on our never ending bucket list, looks great in the winter. I would love to see those cliffs, caves and arches, seen them in many times in magazines, but must be great in person. Thanks for all the tips! have pinned for future reference :-)

The seascapes on the cape of Ponta da Piedad is so beautiful and peaceful.I wonder how many people were there when you were visiting, Seems like a hidden gem. And the seashells are so colorful. Did you collect any?

By the way, I have managed to read the first two paragraphs in Spanish to prepare for my Spanish class tomorrow. Thanks for the bilingual posts, made my reading much easier :)

Congratulations, Julie! I'm so glad that you can read me in Spanish, is much better writen! hahahaha Unfortunately, Ponta da Piedad is not that secret. I recommend you to go in winter to enjoy it alone! xxx

More of the beautiful Algarve, nice! I stayed in Portimao when I visited too and found it a really good base. I spent some time in Lagos but quickly moved on to Sagres which was really cool. Would love to go back and explore the region more thoroughly. Thanks for sharing.

This place was the favourite place in Europe for my Australian partner. I can now see why! The dramatic coastal scenery is breathtaking and I could walk there for hours. The coast reminds me of Australia a little bit too. Can't wait to check it out for myself!